Dr Matthew Buckley

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Scientific Background

Research Interests

I am an experimental psychologist with a broad interest in learning and memory, but much of my theoretical work has focused on understanding the spatial representations and learning processes that govern navigation. Currently I am interested in how spatial representations exert control over memories for events in the past, and vice versa. I conduct studies in the laboratory and online by creating novel behavioural procedures, and reverse-translating rodent paradigms, in which participants navigate through 3D virtual environments. I apply the knowledge generated from this theoretical work to understand cognitive decline in healthy and pathological ageing, with a particular focus on predicting Alzheimer’s Disease, and the developmental trajectories of spatial learning in childhood. I also conduct studies that seek to understand the neural substrates of spatial learning through neuroimaging techniques.

Research Groups

Aston Brain Health Cohort Study (ABaHCoS)

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: Collaborative, engaged, approachable.

Provision of Training

A PhD under my supervision will feel like a research apprenticeship. We will meet more regularly early on in the project as you build your skills and confidence, but as the PhD progresses you will come to realise that you have the ability to complete some tasks (e.g., data analysis) without needing my help.

Progression Monitoring and Management

We will plan and conduct research collaboratively. I would like regular (e.g., weekly) updates on progress, not to monitor your progression per se, but because I'm interested in the data/findings of your experiments.

Communication

I am happy to chat about anything you need/want to discuss, whether it is related to the project or not. At this moment in my life meetings on campus have to be planned around the days/times I am on childcare duty (e.g., school drop-off and pick-up), but we can always talk online, and I am usually quick to reply to emails.

Meetings

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me at least once per fortnight. These meetings will be a mixture of face-to-face and via video chat or telephone. I am usually contactable for an instant response 3 or 4 days per week.

Work Patterns

The timing of work in my lab is completely flexible, and (other than attending pre-arranged meetings) I expect students to manage their own time.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 2 weeks' notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5,000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Mechanisms of age-related navigational decline

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Mechanisms of age-related navigational decline

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Craig Hedge, Prof Andrew Schofield

University of Registration: Aston University

BBSRC Research Themes:

Integrated Understanding of Health (Ageing)

Project Outline

Our ability to navigate is among the first cognitive functions to deteriorate in healthy ageing (van der Ham & Claessen, 2020), and this typically coincides with drops in autonomy, social participation, and perceived quality of life (Lester et al., 2017), reflecting that navigation is a key component of many everyday tasks (e.g., shopping, commuting, socialising). Whilst age-related declines in navigation are well-documented, age in and of itself is not a physiological or psychological variable. This PhD will therefore strive understand the mechanisms that explain age-related navigational decline, and uncover why navigational abilities are susceptible to ageing.

The studies conducted during the PhD will approach explaining navigational decline in healthy ageing from both a neural and cognitive perspective. Using EEG, the student will examine if variations in neural activity (e.g., theta) explain the link between age and navigation, and whether estimates of brain-age taken from neural recordings are a better predictor of navigation performance than a person's chronological age (Lithfous et al., 2018; James & Burgess, 2025). Using behavioural studies, the student will investigate how decline in the complex array of cognitive abilities that support navigational behaviour (Wolbers & Hegarty, 2010) impact navigation performance across the lifespan. Within this strand of work, the student may also investigate if different environmental features (e.g., the presence or absence of orienting landmarks) modify the cognitive abilities that support navigation, and determine if some environments become harder to navigate as we get older.

During the project the student will gain experience in laboratory (EEG and behavioural) and online (behavioural) testing. They will also develop high-level statistical (e.g., structural equation modelling) and writing (e.g., for journal publications) skills, setting them up for a career in science.